Early Years Educator Level 3 Apprenticeship (NHT 26)

HUNGRY CATERPILLAR DAY NURSERIES LTD

Northolt (UB5 6AG)

Closes in 15 days (Saturday 28 February 2026 at 11:59pm)

Posted on 13 February 2026

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Summary

You will gain experience, earn a salary and achieve a recognised early years level 3 qualification. Duties include working alongside the team as an educator but with support and the opportunity to plan, implement & supervise child initiated & adult led activities following the development needs & interests of each child.

Wage

£16,640 a year

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

First 12 months £16,640 pa, based on 40 hours over 52 weeks. Once Qualified pay scales from £26,832K to £28,912K yearly. (Based on 2025 rates - increasing 1/4/26)

Training course
Early years educator (level 3)
Hours
Monday - Friday between 7.30am - 6.00pm around the current shift system. One evening per month for Staff Meetings. Five paid training days per year.

40 hours a week

Start date

Wednesday 1 April 2026

Duration

1 year 6 months

Positions available

1

Work

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you'll do at work

  • You will work alongside the team as a practitioner but with support
  • You will have the opportunity to plan, implement & supervise child initiated & adult led activities following the development needs & interests of each child
  • You will be involved in the daily routine care of the children as well as key person responsibility to help ensure each child feels safe, their development needs are met, and their progress is shared with parents
  • You will be assigned a tutor who will set your work and support you through your qualification
  • You will have a nursery-based mentor who will be on hand to support you with your work and offer day-to-day guidance

Where you'll work

Pure Gym
Rowdell Road
Northolt
UB5 6AG

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Training provider

HAWK MANAGEMENT (UK) LIMITED

Training course

Early years educator (level 3)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents
  • Recognise when a child or a colleague is in danger or at risk of abuse and act to protect them in line with safeguarding policy and procedure.
  • Apply legislation, policy and procedure to protect the health, safety and wellbeing of children in the setting (for example, food safety, diets, starting solid food, allergies, COSHH, and accidents, injuries, and emergencies).
  • Apply the principles of risk assessment and risk management within documentation and practice.
  • Teach children to develop skills to manage risk and maintain their own and others safety.
  • Use a range of communication methods, including technology, with other professionals to meet the individual needs of the child.
  • Develop and maintain effective professional, collaborative relationships with others involved in the education and care of the child.
  • Undertake the role and responsibilities of key person.
  • Recognise and apply theories of attachment to develop effective relationships with children.
  • Provide sensitive and respectful personal care for children from birth to 5 years.
  • Advocate for all children’s needs, including children which require SEND or EAL support.
  • Promote and facilitate children’s interpersonal communication to develop their social interactions and relationships.
  • Support children to develop a positive sense of their own identity and culture.
  • Support children to understand and respond to their emotions and make considered choices about their behaviours.
  • Assess the responsiveness of the environment for effective child-centred experiences in line with curriculum requirements.
  • Create inclusive, child-centred, dynamic, innovative, and evolving physical environments both indoors and outdoors.
  • Create inclusive and supportive emotional environment that enables the child to feel safe, secure, respected and experience a sense of wellbeing; maintaining and prioritising the individual child’s voice.
  • Apply strategies that support children’s ability to manage change, transition, and significant events.
  • Analyse observation evidence to assess and plan holistic individual learning based on a comprehensive understanding of the child’s needs and interests.
  • Facilitate and support child-centred opportunities and experiences based on the setting's curriculum and pedagogy.
  • Provide adult led opportunities and experience based on the setting's curriculum and pedagogy.
  • Use reflection to develop themselves both professionally and personally.
  • Recognise when a child or a colleague is in danger or at risk of abuse and act to protect them in line with safeguarding policy and procedure.
  • Apply legislation, policy and procedure to protect the health, safety and wellbeing of children in the setting (for example, food safety, diets, starting solid food, allergies, COSHH, and accidents, injuries, and emergencies).
  • Apply the principles of risk assessment and risk management within documentation and practice.
  • Teach children to develop skills to manage risk and maintain their own and others safety.
  • Use a range of communication methods, including technology, with other professionals to meet the individual needs of the child.
  • Develop and maintain effective professional, collaborative relationships with others involved in the education and care of the child.
  • Undertake the role and responsibilities of key person.
  • Recognise and apply theories of attachment to develop effective relationships with children.
  • Provide sensitive and respectful personal care for children from birth to 5 years.
  • Advocate for all children’s needs, including children which require SEND or EAL support.
  • Promote and facilitate children’s interpersonal communication to develop their social interactions and relationships.
  • Support children to develop a positive sense of their own identity and culture.
  • Support children to understand and respond to their emotions and make considered choices about their behaviours.
  • Assess the responsiveness of the environment for effective child-centred experiences in line with curriculum requirements.
  • Create inclusive, child-centred, dynamic, innovative, and evolving physical environments both indoors and outdoors.
  • Create inclusive and supportive emotional environment that enables the child to feel safe, secure, respected and experience a sense of wellbeing; maintaining and prioritising the individual child’s voice.
  • Apply strategies that support children’s ability to manage change, transition, and significant events.
  • Analyse observation evidence to assess and plan holistic individual learning based on a comprehensive understanding of the child’s needs and interests.
  • Facilitate and support child-centred opportunities and experiences based on the setting's curriculum and pedagogy.
  • Provide adult led opportunities and experience based on the setting's curriculum and pedagogy.
  • Use reflection to develop themselves both professionally and personally.

Training schedule

  • At the end of your training, you will achieve a full and relevant Early Years Educator Level 3 Apprenticeship Standard
  • Paediatric First Aid
  • Your training will be delivered by our training partners
  • You will work all year round and have (20% off the job) to complete course work, visit other settings, attend training or do online training, etc

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

  • English (grade 4/5)
  • Maths (grade 4/5)

Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Skills

  • Communication skills
  • Organisation skills
  • Problem solving skills
  • Team working
  • Initiative
  • Patience
  • Have empathy for others
  • Reliable

Other requirements

This advert is part of a recruitment cycle. You will be involved in every aspect of nursery life. You will be working both inside the nursery and in the garden with the children, at all times of the year and in all weather. You will need to be committed, reliable, able to work the required hours and study with the end goal of a qualification.

About this employer

Hungry Caterpillars opened in January 1999 in answer to Olivia Foley, the founders, own childcare needs and the inability to find high-quality childcare in the local area. Developing an excellent local reputation, the group has since expanded across West London into Ealing, Buckinghamshire & Harrow. Hungry Caterpillars remains a family run business that responds and develops services to meet the needs of families that it serves.

http://www.hungrycaterpillars.co.uk (opens in new tab)

After this apprenticeship

After you complete your qualification,you can:

  • Progress within Hungry Caterpillars and take on more responsibility/progress into more senior roles (room leader/deputy manager/manager)
  • Take on a full key worker role and support a group of children

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

HAWK MANAGEMENT (UK) LIMITED

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000015569.

Apply now

Closes in 15 days (Saturday 28 February 2026 at 11:59pm)